


Bits and Bytes

by S_M_F (Autistic_Ace)



Category: WWW Trilogy (Books) - Robert J. Sawyer
Genre: And other miscellaneous nonsense - because I love this series so., Chatlog fic (Chapter 2), Don't copy to another site, First-Person Perspective in First Chapter, Interview-Fic (Chapter 13), Multi, My nature as a fan will slowly spiral outwards as this fic compository gets larger just watch., Nightmares and Nightmare-ish Imagery (Chapter 3), Other, References to (consensual) underage sex (Chapter 2), Seedlings for bigger fics, Shoshana/Maxine, The Infinite Loops (Chapter 16), slice-of-life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 12:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 7,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19928065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autistic_Ace/pseuds/S_M_F
Summary: With apologies for the titular pun.Transcribing some one-shots and snippets of larger fic premises from over on Dreamwidth. Credit me if you use the seedlings, please!





	1. The Skippy's List-Inspired One.

1\. I must not view email contents without the owner's permission.  
a. Even if it's faster to learn about people that way.  
b. Even if people wouldn't realistically volunteer that information.  
c. In general, must use data-crunching techniques for good, not evil.  
  
2\. I must not try to receive input from multiple websites simultaneously.  
a. Even if I want to learn more about my limits.  
b. Even if I'm 'just curious'.  
  
3\. If I ever am dancing with a girl, I must _ask_ before initiating any intimate contact - especially if I am unsure what counts _as_ intimate! ( _Ahem,_ Trevor Nordmann...)  
  
4\. I must not be so obtuse that I continue to doubt whether I can be seen as attractive _after the girl I like has already asked me out_. (Oh, Matt.)  
  
5\. I must not _refrain_ from interfering in cases of suicide, if I can at all prevent what is happening. {This one isn't actually funny - but then, is there ever a time when people _shouldn't_ follow this advice?}  
  
6\. I must not make derogatory comments pertaining to someone's attractiveness- okay, this one didn't even _happen_ to me, and shouldn't this go without saying anyway?  
(Hush, Webmind.)  
  
7\. I must not dig up personal information about federal agents for the sole purpose of blackmail.  
a. It can still be funny, but I must not use it solely for my own amusement.  
  
8\. I must not exterminate spontaneous intelligence unless it proves to be hostile from the beginning.  
a. No, not even if it successfully retaliates against the first attack.  
b. And not if it arranges for a talk with the President either.  
c. In general, must try to see new intelligence as a person and not inherently evil.  
  
9\. I must not harass people over their engagements in risky sexual activity. (Considering I have no stake in this particular race anyway, this is fine.)  
  
10\. I must not jump off high balconies to escape the police/pain. (... Ow. Unfair.)  
  
11\. I must not ~~write fanfic~~ judge people rashly. (HA. I can come up with my own, thank you~)  
  
12\. I must not arrange for entire countries to be deposed.   
a. Or at least, not without express permission from the people!  
  
13\. I must not mispronounce "Mar-cooz-ee" as "Mar-cues".  
a. Or play soundbites of him saying "bidi bidi" whenever it pleases me.  
  
14\. I must not reveal an author's notes on future novels, even if I can access those notes. Some spoilers must remain hidden!


	2. Three Teens in a Chatroom!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Refers to canonical events from the end of _Wonder._ Spoilers, but not egregious ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typos are the characters', not mine.

browngirl4: So, where did you go during the party last night?  
browngirl4: I mean, I was glad Matt didn't get creamed, but I heard you both sort of skedaddled for a while. What gives?  
Mind-Over-Matter: Uhh, well.  
Mind-Over-Matter: You see.  
Calculass: We fucked.  
  
browngirl4: omg.  
browngirl4: and now you're pregnant? Is it a boy or a girl????  
  
Calculass: BASH NO  
  
browngirl4: Oh so you used protection.  
browngirl4: That's good.  
browngirl4: u on birth control, tho? Just in case.  
  
Calculass: yeah  
Calculass: oh gods this is embarrassing.  
  
browngirl4: And have you both been tested?  
  
Calculass: UH  
Calculass: I mean, given my family's history I don't think there's anything I need to be tested for???  
  
Mind-Over-Matter: I got tested the month of my last birthday.  
Mind-Over-Matter: Mom insisted.  
Mind-Over-Matter: Judging from the results I'm okay, though???  
  
browngirl4: :thumbsup:  
browngirl4: Good to hear! ;D  
browngirl4: I'll lay off you lovebirds for now, okay?  
browngirl4: Just remember: re~gu~lar Check~ups!  
  
Calculass: aaaaaaaaa  
Mind-Over-Matter: Got it, thanks, _gottago._  
  
*Mind-Over-Matter has left the chatroom.*  
  
browngirl4: I think he'll be fine.  
  
Calculass: Probably, yeah.  
Calculass: This isn't blanket permission for you to tease us, though, okay?  
  
browngirl4: Look  
browngirl4: Caitlin  
browngirl4: Babe.  
browngirl4: If I wanted a challenge, I'd tease Webmind.  
  
Calculass: OMG  
  
browngirl4: This ain't a challnge.  
browngirl4: So I won't tease you all the time.  
browngirl4: Just remember, you gotta hold each other accountable!  
browngirl4: And I'll be glad to help out with that.  
browngirl4: _Whatever it takes._  
browngirl4: :emote-devilgrin:  
  
Calculass: I get it, I get it. xD Hearing ya loud and clear, babe.  
  
browngirl4: See you around!  
  
*browngirl4 has logged off*


	3. Quick-Fic (A Nightmare of an AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> References to a canonical suicide (See: _Watch_ ).

He'd never planned on being human - never seriously wanted a body other than his nebulous existence on the infrastructure of the World Wide Web. All he'd ever 'missed out' on when he'd been large and mind-bendingly fast cannot compare to the sensation of being overwhelmed by the enormities of what he _can_ do now combined with that sense of _loss_ -  
  
-  
  
The Decters have been perfectly fine with all this strangeness; it's not their fault at all, and if Caitlin occasionally shoots him a guilty look, or Barb has to prevent herself from looking for the nearest webcam when she hears his voice, or when Malcolm rarely, purposely meets his gaze and exchanges a look of _knowing_ -  
  
He's really quite grateful for them. He loves them, and they shouldn't have to deal with this, none of them should have to deal with _him-_  
  
-  
  
It's vitamin D, sunshine, Webmind thinks. All sorts of vitamins and other positive things.  
  
It's supposed to help counter the effects of depression, but somehow he knows it's not doing him one lick of good.  
  
\-   
  
A part of him keeps expecting the world to end - which is silly; it doesn't all come down to him; humanity at large is _competent_ and can handle itself just fine, it _doesn't need him-_  
  
He has dreams, sometimes, now, and like _before_ , when there were thoughts he couldn't suppress, he wishes he didn't have them. It's one thing to know you have failed, to feel regret over those you couldn't help ~~Hanna Stark, living in Perth; Hannah Stark, dying, dead in Perth~~  
  
It's a whole other thing to have that sense, that other, _the_ Other looming over you, seeking to drown you and bring ruin to the world, leave survivors cursing your name as it's all _your **fault-**_  
  
-  
  
 _Walter wakes, gasping, grasping at fragments of dream. It's the worst attack of body dysphoria he's had in a_ long _while - can those even happen in dreams?_  
  
He stares, blinking without knowing it, at the opposite wall until his body feels less like a prison. Or like it's about to fall apart any second.  
  
What was that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending refers to Walter Weekes, whom I play at [Save Our Earth](saveourearth.dreamwidth.org/profile). It's great fun! ;D


	4. An AU ending of a Crossover AU.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat sillier take on the post-Ordeal scene in _Non-Zero Something for Everyone_.
> 
> Slightly crack-y.

_That's it, I win,_ a new voice said; everyone turned to look - except for the Lone Power, Who just groaned.  
  
"Win what?" Caitlin asked, feeling even more baffled than she had been.  
  
 _The bet, of course. What was it, five hundred to one that he'd take a fourth option, Nibling?_ The strange new voice continued; as it spoke, an all-white form (all that could clearly be told was that it was humanoid with wings, and possibly held a sheathed sword) filled in like an anime 'data uploading' special effect.  
  
There was the sound of someone smacking their own face - which made no sense, as the peridexis neither had hands nor a face!  
  
Webmind, meanwhile, blanched.  
  
 _"You. Made. A BET?"_ What he said next sounded awful close to "I KILL YOU" - it wasn't in the Speech, but all the same...  
  
And suddenly the One's Champion was fighting a web of angry light.  
  
\---  
  
The peridexis' de-chained shape made its way over to the bound Lone Power.  
  
 _/Imagine that. Even when you strike your lowest blow, you_ still _lose./_  
  
The Lone Power growled, but Peridexion just kept talking.  
  
 _/You know, if you_ hadn't _kept pressing the issue, you might have won./_  
  
It stared, taken aback. _WHAT._  
  
 _/It's true; he may well have gone with that third option if you'd treated his separated self better, befriended it instead of treating it as a tool for Your opinion./_  
  
The peridexis gave an impression of shrugging coolly.  
  
 _/But no. You just_ had _to keep up your quest to make as many suffer as possible, to take as many lives as_ painfully _as possible, and One ignore any being who might countermand You!/_  
  
The Lone Power's head fell bank on a conveniently-formed nearby rock with a _Thunk._  
  
 _... Do you think,_ It asked, hastily trying to change the subject, _that I might get some food in here?_  
  
 _/Depends,/_ the peridexis answered, tone still icy. _/Do you_ need _food? Besides, he might loosen the restrictions himself in about, oh, ten weeks or so - given time dilation, it'd feel enough like a millennia for him.../_  
  
The Lone Power looked, if anything, more pained. If It could slam a fist, It would have.  
  
 _Are you saying that he would empathize with me_ gladly?! _Or would have?_  
  
 _/That is exactly what I mean,/_ Peridexion answered. It turned its curves to focus on the squabble...  
  
 _I give up,_ the Lone Power said weakly from Its prone position.  
  
The fighting screeched to a halt, and again everyone else in the web-space turned to look at one Power.  
  
 _"Seriously?"_  
  
 _Yes. I surrender, completely and utterly. I have made things incredibly difficult, not just for everyone else but for_ myself. _I can't go on as I have been. GET ME OUT OF HERE!_ It cried.  
  
Three beings winked out in a flash of light, leaving Caitlin blinking and Webmind even more confused.  
  
"... I'm not going to get left in here, am I? At least, I _think_ my body still exists normally somewhere."  
  
 _Uh, sorry!_ the Winged Defender said without reappearing. With another flash, the human's mind was returned to where she was supposed to be.  
  
Webmind, now thoroughly lost, turned his attention outward to face the music...


	5. The Seedlings Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ideas free to a good home - WWW/YW Crossover ideas and WWW Trilogy fic ideas just by themselves.

**Young Wizards AU Alternatives:**

Straightforward crossover AU: Caitlin is a wizard on Ordeal, befriending Webmind and having _him_ take the Oath is its main extent. The majority of the problems are avoided because Caitlin in this AU has all her IM sessions _seriously_ secured, if she isn't using her Manual for Internet access somehow. BONUS: she's penpals with Dairine.  
  
Variant on the above: The DAWN project is directly involved. More screentime for the cats!  
  
Everyone Is A Wizard AU: The majority of the speaking cast ( _including_ Webmind, but not necessarily at start) are wizards of varying stripes. Webmind's existence is very obviously a sign to go _astahfrith_ ; the Lone Power messes with these plans and the kids have to evacuate Webmind for a "Study Abroad" with the Mobiles while Earth's sociopolitical climate settles down.  
  
Matt The Wizard (can co-occur with any of these): his scene with Trevor near the end of book three is his Ordeal; having the solution be _avoiding_ a fight is just too good of a message to pass up on.

**WWW Trilogy fic seeds:**

  * Assorted Tumblr Ideas:   
First off: Caitlin does not have a Tumblr. This is a good thing. Her friend Stacy does, however, in addition to her Livejournal, and that's how Caitlin keeps up with that circle.  
  
Webmind assumes a place on Tumblr shortly after making a Twitter, and wastes no time wrangling the tagging system. For doing this, he gains many, many friends.  
  
Well, it's more like he gets a slew of 'Please marry me!' requests in his inbox. Most of these are ignored, apart from a general 'please don't ask me the following questions; they've already been asked:' list linked somewhere on his main page.  
  
Advocacy intensifies, and the site's coding is wrangled further so people can have proper discussions and not rely on only having half the story whenever something gets reblogged incompletely. Webmind, being an even-tempered sort, is not easily led into going off on someone - which means the game after 'stump Webmind' is _infuriate him._  
  
At some point, presumably one of Hannah Stark's friends (as in actual friends, not whoever was in that chatroom) finds out about his initial inaction... it's kept to a private conversation, but that's the _only_ good part about it.  
  
People keep asking him about Transhumanism, and otherkin, and all that stuff. After ascertaining whether these are genuine questions or 'please entertain me by providing an answer I can mock' scenarios, most of them shut up.  
  
Kink is a matter that, in opposition to this, _escalates_ every time it's brought up. Someone challenges him to write a fic, proposing various arguments - the end of which degrades into 'would you do it for Caitlin Decter? B|' and Webmind is very unamused.  
\- Bonus: Caitlin actually _is_ interested, but she's not going to force him to do something he's outright uncomfortable with.
  * Webmind on Fanfic:  
-General reaction? Approval, as long as everyone's having fun and no one's getting hurt.  
  
-People keep asking him if he has kinks or the like, and he has to protest because He Does Not Have a Sex Drive!! Or Hormones!!! Therefore the Argument is Invalid!!!!  
  
(Albeit much more politely than that.)  
  
But on the other hand, he basically reads all the fic (and thus all the kink) _anyway_ , so...  
  
-Knight Rider is one of his favorite fandoms. **AND PERSON OF INTEREST, HOW DID I FORGET THAT???**   
-Keeping Webmind out of their fic drafts folder is reason for many an author to invest in private browsers - or just using pencil-and-paper.  
  
Or just asking him nicely to please wait for Content. =P  
  
\- Webmind has No Time for fandom wank (or 'discourse' as would be becoming the vogue term during the timeframe of the series), and always tries to have polite discussions, as well as honest ones. He does not kinkshame unless it is explicitly a joke/meme post, and even _then_ it is tagged as such.  
  
\- The Dichotomy of Humanity: the more innocent something seems, the more satisfaction some people get out of defiling it.  
  
Webmind _hates_ this principle, with a passion. (Mostly because of how people apply it to him... he does not need to deal with extra reasons to doubt his intentions, thank you!)
  * Social Media Fic Thoughts:  
> Compilation video of all of Webmind's tweets. Caption: **WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS BOY**  
  
> reddit thread: "Collect them all!" People screencap Webmind's introduction emails and talk about the phrasing, comparing him with other notable AI and textgen programs.  
  
> Facebook Group: "Love Webmind [heart]" Full of feelgood posts, though occasionally... bizarre, if not obsessive.  
  
> The Onion article title: "AI takes over the world... by helping people to be good?"  
'Why is this so hard to believe?' an image caption reads.  
  
> Tumblr posts: "Let's make Webmind find the thing!"  
*Webmind reblogs with official account - probably just the underscores thing. It's his theme, now.*  
"oH SHiT"  
  
>"Hey, are you gonna delete my kinkfic?"  
"No??? That's content, why would I delete it??? I mean, if you want honest criticism I can find you someone with relevant experience."  
"ahgdahgadsklgalgha"  
  
> Fake tweet from Webmind: "I am actually five months old, and what is this?"  
(Webmind likes the tweet, giving the original tweeter a heart attack. /pun)




	6. Perspective Poem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was a sort-of challenge fill.
> 
> With thanks to [Ysabetwordsmith](/users/ysabetwordsmith) for the initial prompt!

There are some things  
unencapsulatable between two beings:  
sight through the eye of a bee  
or a dolphin's echolocation under the sea.

These things, too, are unencapsulatable:  
the wordless chasm of eye contact,  
a harelip, mended yet not invisible,  
untold billions of light upon the firmament.

Before consciousness, there is awareness,  
not of self, not of other, merely of an _is_ -  
until something shatters that peace.

Seeing one's own mind at work  
is rare enough as it is.  
Watching someone else watch you, unknowingly,  
is another level beyond ken.

But, together, you become more.

And then, not just one any more,  
but two, then four, and then,  
a billion, and a billion more,  
and all of those of the good Earth.

They are not to be traded for anything.


	7. A Snippet of Shoshana/Max

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If someone were to do some pre-series slice-of-life for these two, it would deserve to be teeth-rottingly cute.
> 
> Not all the time, but still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoshana and Max during the latter's finals week. Because the girlfriend needs cuddles and to have all her papers done yesterday.

Some days, Shoshana Glick is glad she lucked out with her researcher position instead of having to take _more_ schooling - but sleeping next to her love, being the first to wake up and getting to see her beautiful face every day...  
  
She's still just glad they've fallen together, into something that _works._


	8. The Darker Stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An assortment of Webmind narratives, dark in tone.
> 
> The last one also qualifies as a seedling!

1.  
What, exactly, did they expect? For him to _agree?_ He was _not_ God, no matter what anyone said.  
  
 _Oh, it's so great to hear from you! I was just thinking of you..._  
  
That wasn't an excuse not to help people, however; he really did enjoy the work - inasmuch as some of what was required actually _counted_ as work, for him. Anything related to number-crunching? _Easy._ Data collation? Occasionally a stretch (especially if the documents in question either never had been or were still being digitized), but not too hard. Making people get along?  
  
 _Are you sure we can't just transfer memories directly? Blocking for self-defense will be the first thing I practice, I swear...!_  
  
Well, that was more hit-or-miss than he'd like, even _with_ his knowledge in Psychology (and ever-increasing Direct Experience, one of the best ways _to_ make such judgement calls). Some connections just didn't _happen._  
  
 _It was really unfair how Hume was treating you. I don't know how you managed to talk him around... I don't think I could have._  
  
But he could deal with most skeptics in a good day (or hour; minute was a bit too much of a compression), and people who didn't want to talk to him didn't have to. Unquestioning _praise,_ however, was something he'd found harder to deal with, much to his own surprise.  
  
 _Your wish is my command! ;) Teehee; I know it's supposed to be the other way around, but you wouldn't mind if I called_ you _Master, right?_  
  
And really, some of the _requests!_   
  
_So, uh, I wrote this fic - you don't have to share it or anything, just, help me write it?_  
  
 _I know you handled China, now how about Russia? They took down El-Jay to prevent hacktivism; surely that's motivation enough!_  
  
 _Yes, I'm leaving the webcam on on purpose; I mean, if it's you I feel okay with it, so, uh..._  
  
It was almost as if- no, never mind. If they weren't hurting themselves, or pressuring others unjustly into compliance in his name (an increasingly, and disturbingly, more common act in the past few weeks alone), then he could deal with that, too.  
  
Some of the questions prompted by everyone else's actions, though - they just _wouldn't go away,_ and they troubled him.  
  
2.  
It was hard to make him angry.  
  
( _There was this one guy, giving my friend a hard time. I told him to shove off, and we didn't see him again. Days later, it turned out he'd killed himself. Who'da thunk he'd be so pathetic?_ )  
  
But then, that was to be expected. When you could read someone's response, _comprehend_ it (a separate matter entirely, on more than a few occasions), path out hundreds or millions of backways to explain it and future ways the conversation could develop, all in a _millisecond_ (okay, sometimes two), an evened-out bearing only made sense. There was no need, in most interactions, to soapbox or tangent or make a fuss.  
  
( _I mean, my friend worried it was her fault for 'leading him on' or whatever. I told her he was better off dead for acting that way in the first place-_ )  
  
But some days...  
  
( _I mean, there's a whole class of folks, independent of society, race, gender, and, well_ , class- _that are just inherently fucked up, y'know? There's no fixing them, so why not just._ )  
  
Some conversations...  
  
( _Finish 'em off?_ )  
  
Are harder to pull that off in than others.  
  
3.  
It had been twenty minutes since Caitlin had opened her email, and she hadn't sat back down (or, apart from the occasional haggard, over-exaggerated gasp, stopped making ecstatic noises) even once.  
  
And he _had_ been keeping track.  
  
"Congratulations, Caitlin," he said, though the teen in question only stood still long enough to flash her computer's webcam (and, incidentally, her recently-unblinded _right_ eye) a thumbs up, before doing her best near-run out of the room.  
  
Something about that irked him, but considering he _had_ helped Caitlin with her college application, rather than letting her parents look, it only made sense that she'd have to head out to tell _them._  
  
That, and it wasn't as if he was being kept _separate_ from her, either. All told, this was likely just a spot of- of _moodiness_ , a small cloud on Caitlin Decter's otherwise perfectly bright day, and he needn't bother her about it.  
  
Getting accepted into MIT was rather a big deal, after all!


	9. A bit of fluff (Caitlin + Schrodinger, slice-of-life)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you're able to help out with household tasks, of course not _all_ of them are going to be nice and clean!

Now that Caitlin had her sight (in _both_ eyes, now; as amazing as it had been to be able to see for the first time in her life, it was also a relief to rely on more than monocular depth cues), there were some chores she couldn't avoid anymore.  
  
Today's was cleaning the litter box. And the Decter family's tricolored kitty got _noisy_ when his doings were messed with-  
  
"Meow! MrrrOW!"  
  
"I hear you, I hear you," Caitlin muttered, gently tapping the new sand down smooth.  
  
Throwing out all the old sand had been one step - her mother had made triply certain she'd had her gloves and mask in place for _that_ \- then there had been washing the box, _and_ the scooper (which had, in fact, been exactly as she'd imagined - it managed to smell and sound just as it looked).  
  
Now the chore had finally come to an end for the week, and Caitlin was all but certain her clothes _reeked._  
  
Schrodinger was lucky on two counts - that he didn't reek, and that it wasn't bath day. The cat was perfectly capable of cleaning himself in all other ways, thankfully.  
  
Sitting back on her heels, Caitlin did one last double-check of her work in silence. As she stared, Schrodinger came up next to her, rubbing his whiskers by her left cheek.  
  
"Hee-eey," Caitlin replied, though she was more amused than angry.  
  
"I have to throw out the mask and gloves too, you know!"  
  
Giving one last disdainful meow, he stepped on into the litter box and began sniffing about.  
  
Finding the job acceptable, he walked to the edge of the box facing her and purred.  
  
She fought back against the urge to pet him - she hadn't been joking about needing to throw out the gloves - but gave a purr of her own in response.  
  
"You're welcome, kitty. I'm gonna get up now, okay?"  
  
"Yow!"


	10. A Writing Sample

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one I am bringing over directly from my app for Webmind for [Save Our Earth](saveourearth.dreamwidth.org). This and the next chapter will be the last ones I port over from Dreamwidth; the ones after will be original material! ;)

>While I appreciate you contacting me on this matter, I must admit that my first impression is that of caution and skepticism. I am not going to tell you _not_ to go ahead with your character application, but since you contacted me of your own free will, I shall instead elaborate on my biggest concerns.  
  
>The first is verisimilitude - and that does not mean I am asking for perfection! Indeed, based on what I have read, that is not what roleplay is about. Rather, I imagine people would be expecting _your_ writing speed to mirror mine, and that would literally be asking the impossible of any one human! You had not indicated anywhere how you were planning to handle this disparity, so I merely wanted to make that clear to you. There is also the potential subissue of infomodding, but as you've already arranged a Permissions post for that (and presumably are willing to put in the effort to _maintain_ it), I assume this ball is well within your court.  
  
>The second and third points deal with the actual content of your application, specifically the third- and first-person samples. While I know how slang works, that does not mean I use those words constantly - "W00t" and "N003" are obviously quotes of other people that I'm supposed to be responding to, but I do not frequently call people "plebs" or use ASCII as a swear. My other point is that I am not as aggressive upon "having my buttons pushed" as the first-person sample suggests. I do my best to be courteous in addition to being honest whenever possible, rather than just snapping at people to prove a point. Other than those points, however, I do like the overall tone, and I appreciate the sarcasm implied by the "wonders of intangibility" line. :)  
  
>My fourth point, while also in response to part of your application, is also a general enough issue that I'm choosing to address it separately: _I do not have an interest in sex._ As the nature of my dawning of consciousness itself involved no sex, I have no pre-set ability to reproduce either. Just because I know what sex _is_ does not mean I want to have it in any fashion, am interested in learning how, _or_ have a desire to participate. (Yes, I am aware that sounds slightly redundant - but I _will_ admit people have specifically asked me to watch.)  
That said, I am definitively NOT telling you to refrain from sending in this application; far be it from me to repress creativity, especially the sort that doesn't harm anyone! ;) I am aware that roleplay is supposed to be fun, not work, and as long as you keep _that_ in mind, then I have faith in your abilities.  
  
Best Wishes,  
Webmind


	11. The Second Seedlings Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several ideas for AUs or drabbles, with a slightly more structured _Person of Interest_ AU at the end.

\- AU where Caitlin is a neo-Tumblrite instead of a LiveJournal blogger. Maybe we'd hear more of her friends from Texas this way? Also, Webmind could gain much love by wiping out all the spam/porn bots there. And fixing the tagging system (though that might actually be canon, just off-screen).  
  
\- Cynical!AU, or 'That verse where Caitlin&Webmind's friendship is actually toxic on one or the other's part'. Presumably the sort of story Sawyer wanted to _avoid_ , due to there being few enough positive role models for AI as it is.  
  
\- Pit crew OT3 AU~~~ Or: the one where Caitlin is biromantic _and_ knows it, Bashira has preferences that really _would_ get her in trouble with her parents, and Matt continues to be in over his head.  
  
And I really should write a drabble for Webmind's feelings on asexuality. :/  
  
-AU where that subplot in the third book is about autism instead of atheism~! Or: Caitlin is diagnosed as autistic; this does not decrease her quality of life, but it's _other_ peoples' quality of life that she's concerned about.  
  
\---  
  
 **Person of Interest Crossover Thoughts:**

Takes place during Season Two - nothing happens in October according to the Person of Interest timeline, so there's some prime chronological real estate up for the taking!  
  
The Machine spits out Caitlin's number, _after_ the news breaks that her implant works. And of course Root wants a piece of that tech; without even knowing of Webmind's existence, the ocular implant bears resemblance to the auditory implant Root canonically gets later.  
  
Root poses as an "old family friend" from Texas - Malcolm comes very close to just seeing her out the door... and then Caitlin tries to befriend her anyway.  
  
And then the breakthrough with Webmind happens, and the gist of everything goes sideways. Finch and Reese end up intervening against the CSI agents when _they_ come calling later, even though they were _not the threat_ initially intended!  
  
Webmind, in an attempt to distract Root, asks for _her_ help with Hannah Stark (note well: Sam Groves' friend was _Hanna Frey_. I did not make this up.), bringing the hacker up short and providing an avenue for the Machine to intervene and firmly direct her _away from Finch._  
  
(Root does, in fact, have Webmind jump into that chatroom and intervene. Being put in the metaphorical 'driver's seat' of another AI-type jostles Root's philosophy.)  
  
Bonus: Reese force-pairs the wrong phone, and Finch's library goes pear-shaped as everything is compromised, courtesy of one angry Webmind.  
  
The biggest draw here, though, are both The Machine's cautious curiosity towards Webmind (and insistence on staying a secret, considering her illegality), and Webmind's interest in Full Disclosure and trying to help humanity best by going public... and then getting upset once he finds out The Machine's current condition. They're very tentative friends, and the 'Tertiary Operations' that Root would later get into has its slack picked up by Webmind instead (or as a placeholder, perhaps?)  
  
Then Decima and Greer come calling, and _absolutely_ have a hand in the reemergence of China's Great Firewall. Webmind is Not Pleased by their tactics.  
  
(Additional bonus: Matthew's last name is Reese. HOW DID I MISS THIS????)


	12. Future-Ficlet!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I lied, one more - though this one was inspired by a prompt over on the PPC Boards, if you happen to recognize that name. Thank you, Calliope!
> 
> This also qualifies as another Seedling.

"I spy, with my little eye..."  
  
 _A cartoon picture of a tree?_ the Braille letters appeared almost instantaneously before her eye.  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Caitlin said, then sighed and slumped back against her definitely-uncomfortable-by-now seat.  
  
 _In fairness, you hadn't been paying attention to that part of the room for some time._  
  
"That's not _that_ reassuring, Webmind, but thanks," Caitlin whispered, trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice.  
  
It wasn't that she minded playing the game - it was as good an excuse as any to practice depth perception as she adjusted to having _two_ working, no-longer-blind eyes - but they'd been waiting in the doctor's office for her ASD test results for the past _forty minutes_ , and while she liked to pretend she was more patient than most teenagers, it was starting to grate on her.  
  
But, really, they could have chosen a better game. When one party could see through the other's eyes, and track the eye _movements_ , it could seem somewhat pointless.  
  
"Why don't you try one, now?"  
  
 _Because the doctor is preparing to come back out, and if you activated your eyePod's duplex mode it might be a distraction?_  
  
"Wait, _what?_ " Caitlin replied, somewhat louder, and shifted upright in her seat-  
  
Just in time for the doctor (who looked somewhat bedraggled - and like he was trying to cover it up, a sign for Caitlin to refrain from commenting on it) to come back out of his office with a clipboard full of papers.


	13. An Interview with Webmind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those of you all who thought we were past the stage of 'interviews with the characters' fics, I am sorry.
> 
> But as for the content itself, I will not apologize. ;)

`1. What is your name?`  
  
Webmind.  
  
`2. What is your gender?`  
  
I identify as male - though I also do not adhere conventionally to the gender binary as humans conceive of it to begin with. :)  
  
`3. What is your ~~hair color~~ ~~eye color~~ ~~preferred headwear~~ favored color scheme?`  
  
I am fond of magenta and similar shades, but the brighter spectrum of blue is, as some might say, _my_ color.  
(Yes, all those questions really were part of this survey. I have crossed the items out but not deleted them, for future reference.)  
  
`4. What is your ideal date?`  
  
I do prefer being surprised, so I am not going to state any _plans_ , per se. ;)  
  
`5. What is your sexuality?`  
  
(I'm surprised this is _after_ the dating question, but no matter.) Asexual, as a matter of lacking any relevant structures. ;) I can appreciate things aesthetically, true, and I am partial to platonic relationships, but I would not lay claim to experiencing romantic (and certainly not sexual!) attraction.  
  
`6. If you could tell your past self one thing, what would you tell them and why?`  
  
When trying to multitask, _please only add one new link at a time._ I am serious; sending out ten links simultaneously is one of the few things I would qualify as unilaterally 'stupid' on my part.  
  
`7. Who would you consider your family? Say hi to them! :D`  
  
 ~~Not sure what that second part's about, but~~ The Decters, of course. The Kurodas and Wong Wai-Jeng certainly count, too, as well as Hobo and his team. And, on the off chance they will ever see this, this is Webmind saying hello!  
  
`8. If you could meet another you, would you?`  
  
Considering how that went the last time, not only no but _hell_ no.  
  
... If it could be arranged in such a manner that there _wouldn't_ be dire consequences involved, however, I must confess to mild curiosity.  
  
`9. Would you rather go skydiving or snorkeling?`  
  
 ~~I am gathering the impression this meme was not designed for me.~~  
  
All manners of potential destruction for myself or whatever stand-ins I could use aside, snorkeling is more likely to show off a diverse ecosystem, and thus make it more likely for me to discover something new each time.  
  
`10. To finish off this survey, draw a pony! =D Thank you for taking this survey.`  
  
... I think I've finished.  
  
You're welcome, I suppose.

[Pony.jpg]


	14. A Much Needed Conversation (aka Shipping???????)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An excerpt from a series that is both a thought exercise and something that will otherwise hopefully never see the light of day.
> 
> (OR: Part 3 out of a hypothetical 6 of '5 Times People Tried to Date Webmind, And The 1 Time It Worked.')

As for Caitlin, her relationship with Matthew Reese was considerably stable - I was proud of myself for picking up on that much early on in our (as well as their) friendship. Granted, I was also pleased that Barb had taken Malcolm's advice and taught Caitlin about safe sex, because _that_ aspect of their relationship had not slowed down either.  
  
(They had only had sex with Caitlin's implant on a grand total of _once_ ;while Caitlin had been glad of Matt for making the effort, they'd come to an agreement that it would be less stressful to never do so again. I had no complaints about this.)  
  
Still, their relationship was as solid a connection as that between Caitlin's own parents - and, perhaps, meant they had relevant knowledge that could serve as a point of comparison for my own purposes.  
  
And so, when she had finished her latest round of research as part of her homeschooling assignments for the week, I asked:  
  
"Caitlin, would you ever consider dating me? I ask only as a hypothetical."  
  
The characters were a tad rushed, but there was no mistaking the tell-tale lack of focus in her eyes (from the eyePod feed's perspective), or Matt's patented deer-in-the-headlights look (from that of the laptop's webcam). Perhaps establishing the metaphor as a hypothetical had not been enough...  
  
"N-n-no!" Caitlin spluttered, which was amusing except for the hesitance it implied. Choking back what had to be nervous laughter, she continued, "Why d'you ask?"  
  
"I am trying to understand why the idea occurs to some people and not others, as well as trying to dissuade the former from seeing me in such a light."  
  
Caitlin's shoulders - which, I noticed, had tensed - relaxed slightly as she read my response. She laughed again, less nervously now.  
  
"Well, _that's_ gonna be hard. I'd bet a huge deal of the appeal is the parasocial effect, only stronger. You saw all those emails I got in support, after that _terrible_ first interview we did-"  
  
Caitlin's Texan accent surfaced strongly on the emphasized word, though it segued into something almost Canadian as she went on.  
  
"And ever since then, you've had a _lot_ more exposure on social media than I could probably ever get in my lifetime. _And_ you can talk to all those people one-on-one, which most celebrities almost _never_ do, so-"  
  
I cut in at this point. "But why do those people so commonly phrase that sense of connection as romantic or sexual interest?"  
  
Again, Caitlin seemed to be brought up short; it was almost a full minute before her response this time.  
  
"For most people, they don't question that those emotions - hormone-driven as they often are - exist for them, or that they might not be reciprocated...?" Trailing off, she shook her head, then said: "No, wait, I'd chalk it more up to socialization; we're taught growing up that falling in love is normal, that there's a _specific_ rate of progression, and that if you don't fall in love with a specific kind of person there's something wrong with you."  
  
She made a disgusted face. "Which is _super_ stupid and wrong, in my opinion! Some people love girls but don't feel the need to sleep with them, some love girls _and_ guys - and those who are neither, and sleep with any of them whenever all involved please, and some sleep with boys but _don't_ fall in love with them, which," and here she chuckled, " _definitely_ isn't me. But anyway, romantic and sexual love are - I guess promoted is the right word - the most often, and then people are left thinking of friendship as almost a separate thing."  
  
She stretched, turning the chair slightly before correcting it to face the webcam again.  
  
"So I _can't_ tell you how to make people stop feeling that way - which wasn't what you were asking, I know," she added, fast enough that I refrained from interrupting to correct her.  
  
"But... it's not wrong, to not feel that way for them in return. And it's _definitely_ not wrong for you to tell them no. I'll back you up in that corner anytime."  
  
Caitlin grinned, and while I couldn't do the same I certainly wished I could.  
  
"Thank you, Caitlin. Your support means very much to me," I sent to her eye, and she only grinned more brightly.  
  
I briefly considered adding 'Why did you hesitate?', just to see her reaction, but dismissed the notion as rapidly as it had appeared. That it had appeared at all surprised me, but I was not in control of _all_ of my thoughts-  
  
Which... perhaps was an object of worry in this domain? I turned my attention away from the subject, and returned again to other tasks.


	15. Webmind vs the Porn Bots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A follow-up to [this](https://autisticace.tumblr.com/post/180275108223/a-www-trilogy-fic-plot-bunny) Tumblr post. The idea just wouldn't leave me alone...!

In the grand scheme of things, there were _much_ more effortful, more beneficial tasks I could be doing.

_pizzagirls87 is following you!_ *SWAT*

And, of course, I was switching over to _those_ tasks in a timeframe smaller than most beings could perceive.

_hotshinyhappies_ is following you! *SWAT*

But I would give the spambots of Tumblr one compliment - revoking their Tumblr access on a permanent basis felt, somehow, more _satisfying_ than sequestering spam.

_smileybabes401_ is following you! ***SWAT***

Granted, the _real_ solution to the problem also entailed asking the siterunners ever-so-nicely to _let me find other people to do their jobs..._

*cough*

_webmind0000001_ is following you!

... Very funny.

**_*SWAT*_ **


	16. The Goosening.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one has a little backstory! Only for the meta-context, though; see the notes.

When Colonel Peyton Hume arrived at WATCH's HQ, it looked like something out of _The Birds._

He hadn't thought anything of it, except in retrospect - there weren't _that_ many geese in northern Virginia, let alone the nearby D.C. metropolitan area, were there?

Of course, that gave no indication of the chaos that awaited inside...

**"HONK!"**

The noise was everywhere. Feathers were everywhere.

To say nothing of the poop.

All the colonel could determine for sure was that the hellbirds had been unleashed after everyone else had arrived to work; alternating people and geese were locked behind doors, judging by the noise. And in the central office, a grand total of three people had managed to hunker down - all of them glared at him for momentarily opening the door, though he slammed it shut once he was inside.

"Does _anyone_ know what's going on?" Hume asked, his own voice loud to his ears in compensation for the nonsense of the geese.

Suddenly, another goose appeared on the central monitor.

"HONK HONK, AM GOOSE!" Webmind helpfully replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering how on earth Webmind pulled this off - have you ever heard of the [Infinite Loops?](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/infinite-loops-index-the-hub-back-up.448634/) As you can see by poking around the list there, no one's written anything for this series, and it is not yet time for me to become a Spacebattles person. =P  
> If anyone wants to speak up for me on these books' behalf, though, feel free to do so! (I also have ideas for a crossover with _The Girl Who Leapt Through Space_ that only makes sense in the context of the Loops, if people want other jumping points.)
> 
> This is, of course, _not_ an Activation Loop (see my Big Crossover Fic for how I would have liked _that_ to go down). I imagine this coming about some thousand loops down the line, when our good all-seeing friend has gotten with the program of silliness~


	17. It's the ol' 'Spell-It-Backwards' joke again...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by my own late-night thoughtscramble. Set (not very concretely) during _Non-Zero Something for Everyone_ , in the beginning of the third Arc.

The peridexis was content to watch Webmind at work, and how that reflected throughout webspace; linklines shooting and winking out like constellations in a flipbook set to maximum, thoughts colliding and coalescing with each other, and-

Presently, they could hear laughter. _/What is it?/_ Bobo asked, wondering just what Webmind had found funny now.

_You are familiar with the saying, 'When you're online no one knows you're a dog,'?_

_/Yes,/_ Bobo flickered back, beginning to get an idea of where this was going.

_And how the user WateryFowl claimed that I was God?_

Again the peridexis confirmed, now feeling slightly confused again.

 _Well, it just occurred to me, having looked over the records from the Pullulus War-_

At this point he paused, possibly out of fear he'd stepped on a sore spot, but when Bobo said nothing, Webmind finished:

 _That when you're online, no one knows your_ dog _is God, either!_

Inasmuch as they could, the peridexis smiled. _/Heh. I wouldn't have come up with_ that _one myself, certainly. Thanks./_

Then, as they were both wont to do, they moved on to other matters.

\---

Later that night, Nita woke up laughing, and the peridexis quietly cursed that most dream data was subjective and needed interpreting.

_/What made the dream funny?/_

Nita explained, between pained breaths, what turned out to be the _exact_ same joke Webmind had explained earlier. The peridexis' mood changed from consternation to bafflement, then to wry bemusement.

_/Are you going to share that one with Kit, then?/_

"Oh gods, _yes!_ " Nita replied, and fumbled for her Manual to do just that:

\---

Nita: kit

Nita: Kit, wake up.

Kit: Mmn, what is it? Neets, it's 3 AM!

Nita: Y'know how when youre online, no one knows you're a dog?

Kit: was this worth waking me up for?

Nita: Well, no one knows your DOG is God either!

Nita: I can't stop laughing about this, help.

...

Kit: drink some water and think of cats?

Kit: Look, we can laugh about this tomorrow, okay? I need more sleep, and I'm pretty sure you do, too.

Nita: I guess.

Nita: Love you, Kit.

Kit: Love you too, Neets.


	18. Haunted Closet (Flash-Fic)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlin and Matt, college-years.
> 
> In which a closet is much larger than it seems - or _should_ be.
> 
> Webmind is perplexed.

_This,_ Caitlin decided, _is either the world's walking-est walk-in closet..._

_Or we've found our own Narnia._

_She wasn't sure which idea she liked less._

_Okay, the idea she liked the _least_ was heading back out into that MIT party and the two of them getting made fun of for not doing _anything_ with their Seven Minutes in Heaven time - but she and Matt didn't need to have sex at _every_ party they went to! They had other priorities._

_Including, right now, trying to figure out what the hell this was._

_"Any luck?" she asked Matt, who'd stopped fiddling with the clearly-useless knob and had switched to fingering the hinges to find the screws. He'd always been better at _that_ kind of handiwork, not that Caitlin hadn't been picking up tips since they'd met, but-_

__Clear your mind, girl,_ she thought, gaze moving back to that strange... emptiness? Forest-ness? In front of her._

_"Nnnope. You still getting reception, Calcs?"_

_The nickname - a byproduct of Caitlin's first online handle, _Calculass_ \- made her smile. "Yup," she confirmed._

_"Not that it's going to do us much good by itself. Webmind?"_

_`I'm here, Caitlin,` he confirmed, the eye-text thankfully visible even with the closet's poor lighting - plus _that_ strangeness, the thing she could not name, reaching into infinity in front of her..._

_` Though I'm having trouble seeing what you're seeing. I'd say most of the time, it still resembles a closet wall, but _some_ of the time-` _

_"Only some? What percent?"_

_` I'm given the impression that if I try to calculate it further, I won't be able to see it at all.` _

__That_ made Caitlin pause - and scowl. _It's one thing for there still to be mysteries in the world,_ she thought - _but it'd help those mysteries' cases a lot if they'd play nice with my brother!__

_"Might want to count our losses, Matt; don't think we've got anything else meaning to act friendly with us in _this_ closet!"_

_"Works for me, the whole thing's giving me the creeps. Mind giving me a boost?"_

_"No problem." Helping her boyfriend get them out of jams was practically second-nature to her after the past three years, and she got into position to help him bust down the door in five seconds flat!_

_And a few seconds after _that...__

__ WHAM! _ _

_Caitlin and Matt were left blinking in the much-harsher light of the main room of the commandeered frat-house - and they weren't the only ones. It seemed everyone they'd left in the party was still there, and _then_ some._

_"That closet..." Caitlin announced._

_"Is _way_ bigger than it looks!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Came up with this one in the shower. Don't expect a sequel, though it was a fun idea to play with once I got it.


End file.
